


Crystal Hermits

by Kai_Salt



Category: Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft - Fandom
Genre: Hermitcraft - Freeform, Sam is a bastard as always, Y’all it’s Hermitcraft but Crystal gems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:22:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22735558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_Salt/pseuds/Kai_Salt
Summary: It’s just a SU au but I have actual plot (I think)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 108





	1. The Pearl

A broken battle field lies at Xisuma’s feet. Gem shards from both sides scatter as far as he could see. Home world are no long a threat to earth but this is the price, most of the rebellion that had banded together to stop this tyranny are just broken gems in a no man’s land now. The half humans among the Hermits seem to all be safe (gem is intact and no visible damage) but they could still bleed. Most of the wounds will heal with time but few of the gems remain. An onyx, amethyst, apatite, ruby, moonstone, a jade, and a cats eye jade seem to be the last gems to make it through the attack, their gems are not shattered but in a few cases their humanoid forms need to regenerate; or as X puts it, they’ve been poofed.

“X,” Joe, a hybrid with a larimar gem, calls to the leader. With X’s attention now on him, Joe begins to speak. “We found a home world pearl, a diamonds pearl might I add. He says he’s looking for a garnet by the name of Taurtis. Should I bring him here?” 

“Uh… Yeah. We don’t need more home world gems causing trouble.” Xisuma says as he places his helmet disappears into a flash of light, his weapon returning to his gem. Placing his sword back into its sheath as Joe nods in response. The half larimar runs over to Doc, a cats eye jade, and Iskall, a fusion of a jasper and a lapis. A few words that X couldn’t hear are spoken before they turn to the pearl in question. 

The pearl is completely red, the uniform and hair being darker than the skin and the gem. His eyes seemed to be a dark, almost black, kind of red. A diamond in the centre of his uniform was red, meaning he was a high ranking pearl that had no need to be in such a place. Simple looking shoes that look like ballet slippers look to be muddy from the land he was currently looking walking on. X can make out a translucent cape that covers his shoulders but it is hard to see from that far away. 

Joe goes back and fourth with Doc for a few more seconds, all the while the pearl stands with his arms in front of him as if standing in front of his diamond. That alone makes Iskall look weirded out as they know that no gem should be subjected to such a life. With a few words from Iskall the four of them (the pearl walking behind Iskall but in front of Doc and Joe) start to make their way to X. When at a safe distance from X but close enough to talk to him, Iskall and Doc stand either side of the red pearl while Joe stands next to X. 

“He was at the lake, snooping around.” Doc somewhat growls out as he puts his trident back into his gem. Iskall follows suit except their weapon dissolved into a cloud of sparkles but still keeps the water handcuffs on their… prisoner? They don’t know what to call the pearl as they’ve never done this before. This is due to Doc being more of a ‘poof now, interrogate later, poof again and bubble forever’ kind of gem towards home world gems. However, this pearl clearly belongs to the highest authority on their colony/court. 

“Let’s let him talk before we make some crazy story out of nowhere.” X says as he takes off his gloves. The pearl, who has been looking at the ground the whole time seems to tense up with Doc’s words as well as X addressing him. “Can you tell me your name?”

A silence falls over them, the pearl seems to become more uncomfortable the more seconds the silence isn’t broken. Not even the sound of the light breeze seems to calm him. Many thoughts start flooding to the pearl, something his diamond forbid him to do. He wonders if he should take the question as a demand more than someone genuinely asking. The pearls eyes then see the emerald gem on the leader’s hand as he places his gloves inside his belt and his questions are answered. 

“My diamond referred to me as Red pearl, my emerald.” Red pearl says with a slight sound of submission in his voice. Titles rather than names is more of a home world way of life as the Hermits believe all gems to be equal regardless of jobs and they should be allowed to differentiate themselves with other gems of their kind. 

“Call me X.” Joe picks up on the uneasiness in Xisuma’s voice as he walks closer to the pearl. As soon as the first step towards him, Red flinches away from X. “Look, we’re not going to hurt you. We just want to know some information, okay?”

“I’m not allowed to speak to anyone who isn’t my diamond. If he finds out, he’ll put me into the dark room.” Red pearl seems to whisper at himself as he backs away from X slightly. It’s clear that X isn’t going to get anywhere. “Please, my diamond won’t like this. I am ordered not to say anything, I can’t tell you anything even if I wanted to.” Red pearl seems to almost be pleading. “I don’t want trouble, please, I just want to protect Taurtis.” 

“Who’s Taurtis?” Doc shows X a bubble with a Garnet inside of it. This seems to make Pearl almost try to reach for until he looks at the cuffs he’s in and he just goes back into his timid form. The reaction gets the hermits feeling a wave of emotions, no gem should have to endure the abuse of the diamonds especially if they are too scared to show their emotions. 

X, after seeing the garnet gem was in tact, looks at the pearl. It was acting unusually calm do a pearl that’s supposed to serve Red Diamond. He had heard stories of a ruthless diamond and his equally terrifying pearl. Something just didn’t make sense to X. Doc sees the conflict in the Emerald’s face but sees that the admin is pointing to his gem in his palm. Understanding and acting quickly, Doc pulls out his trident and poofs the pearl. 

“What the heck dude?” Iskall asks as the pearl in their hands. 

“Look, it’s cracked.” Doc says as he points to the crack. They all decide that they can talk after they finish clearing up all of the gems who were poofed or shattered. Doc puts the pearl in with the Garnet gem and he carries it with him. 

After a few minutes of bubbling and sending off the bubbles, all of the shattered gems where safely away and waiting for other gems to regain form in the temple. They had made a home in the temple so that the half humans and humans could live close to the gems in case of instances like this. 

Stress returns first, the amethyst gem stretching as she does so. Her hair was shorter than before and her outfit was a new one: light purple coat with a fade to black on the ends of her sleeves and a star on the back, a white shirt, black leggings that have snowflakes on the knees and purple shoes. The amethyst gem sits on her right knee. Mumbo was next. He wore a suit but instead of having sleeves all the way down to his wrists, they were rolled up to his elbow and he wore black gloves. Every thing else was pretty much the same but his hair seems to be slightly longer. His gem, an onyx, is played on his left wrist. 

The two notice the pearl and Garnet in a bubble but take no note of it as it was one of many in the temple. Xisuma sits at the head of the table with some food he was eating when he sees the two standing there. Silently, he waves them over before putting down a plate for each of them. His gloves and sheath with his sword are beside him as he takes a bite of his food. Mumbo thinks about questioning if that’s a good idea before Stress shuts him up by stuffing a hash brown into his mouth. 

Next to reform is Cleo, her gem on the left side of her waist. Her patchy skin of greens and her hair almost orange stops at the small of her back, a wreath of what look like olive branches are placed on her head and a few branches braided into her hair. She wears brown shorts that hang just above her knees with shoes that look like hiking boots, socks that go up to her mid shin and a blue shirt that is a dark, almost swamp coloured, green. A black jacket that looks like it’s leather completes her look. As she moves away from the other gems, Cleo greets the others. 

Doc walks into the room, Jevin in tow. Unlike the other gems, Jevin’s apatite was a gem that had a clear layer of their body and then a solid colour underneath. His hoodie is a snow blue with dark blue trousers and navy blue shoes. The gem is on the back of his neck. Impulse reforms, his body shaping around the gem in his stomach. His shirt is a dark blue shirt with grey patterns, dark grey trousers and blue high tops. The jade takes the pearl out of the bubble. A small crack is only visible on the inside of his gem as if he had known that Red diamond wouldn’t want to see such a thing. Pearls can’t be healed the same as a normal gem and have to be taken to the reef. 

“Whoa, is that a Pearl? How did you manage to get one of them?” Jevin says as he takes the gem. 

“Careful, he’s already been through a lot.” Doc says. “We’re going to take him to the reef where X would be able to get him fixed.” Jevin hands him back the pearl gingerly as though it turn to dust if he so much as moved it to harshly. Doc puts another bubble around the pearl but doesn’t release it to join the others. 

X looks over to Doc at the mention of his name. His eyes land on the pearl, reminding him of how unfortunate this all is. They had lost some of their friends and they still were no closer to giving Gems the liberation they deserve. Putting down his half finished plate of food, X moves closer to see the pearl in Doc’s bubble. 

“The pearl was acting so… unlike what anyone has been told. He even flinched when I walked up to him.” X thinks out loud. Why did he act different to the stories? “Doc, I’m going to go alone to the reef. You’re in charge until I get back.” X says as he takes the pearl from Doc and summons his helmet. Walking past the table, X picks up his gloves and sword before making his way to the warp pad. 

A wave to the gems in the room is the only goodbye they get as he warps to the reef. The gems fall into a calming silence as they continue to do what they where doing. Cub walks in with Scar as they both walk into the dining room. They where discussing ways that they could mix both human and gem technology so they could find ways to make gems and humans fuse without the need for a hybrid of the two to fuse them. Doc joins into this conversation as more hermits start flooding into the room. Each one of the hermits have something to eat (gems only doing it because some of the humans or hybrids had offered them food) before they all split off into their daily tasks. 

Joe however just stares at his blank pages in the book he was supposed to be writing notes in. All he could think about is how awful that pearls’ life must’ve been. He flinched from every movement that anyone made no matter how small. 

‘What could have caused such a reaction?’ He ponders the thought for a while, his eyes not moving from the page. ‘I might have to ask Doc to go on a data hunt to find out more about this gem.’ Joe thinks to himself as he writes down on the paper. The sound of pen scribbling on the paper fills the little office he is sitting in as he writes down the first bite of his soon to be spreadsheet on the diamonds. 

He’s definitely going to need more paper for this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> X goes to fix the pearl and then makes him pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven’t updated lately cause I had three weeks of exams but now I’m in quarantine. So I might be able to get out a few more chapters

The warp pad always makes Xisuma feel dizzy. He hates the feel of his body travelling through the warp beam. X just didn’t know of any other way to get to diamond’s reef on earth. It was in the bottom of an ocean and even his helmet couldn’t help him breathe that well underwater. Somehow he manages to swallow up his distaste for the pad and use it to get to the reef. There was a bigger picture here, a pearl of a diamond needing fixing and X was the only one whose gem was almost on the same par as the diamond authority themselves. A sigh of relief leaves X as his feet land on the reef’s warp pad. 

Unlike any other gem related place X has been to, the reef looked as though the diamonds themselves built this to appease some higher being than themselves. Despite the darkness clinging to this place X is still able to see the room without his eyes adjusting. He steps off of the warp to walk over the centre, a place for a hand the size of a quartz soldier. The dimly lit room floods with lights as the reef begins to tick away as though it has been waiting for this pearl. Taking off his glove, X places his palm flat against the panel. 

“Welcome, Emerald.” The computer says after taking a reading of the gem. X found the voice a bit too loud for his liking, however this was not his main concern at the moment. 

“I’m here to fix the red pearl.” Xisuma’s tone was calm as he lifts his hand. Without another response, the computer lights up a path leading to the door with a large red diamond above it. Following the lights, X makes his way to Red diamond’s section of the reef. 

The doors open up to reveal walls plastered with diamond patterns with each one increasing in size until they became a large diamond in the direct middle of the wall. Instead of accessories like all of the other diamonds have (such as hollow pearls or even useful tools), there was nothing but weapons that could only be used by a diamond to inflict pain on the pearls or pearl shards suspended in bubbles. Just staring at this room made him uncomfortable, he couldn’t imagine what it would be like for each of the shattered pearls. No matter how much he disliked the room, X could still take the shards to his base for TFC to see if he has anything to fix them with for the time being. 

Popping each bubble to then bubble it again seemed to take X’s mind off of the room’s fear inducing atmosphere. Each pearl seemed to be of a slightly different hue of red, some falling into pink pearls instead of red. With each one he sent off, he made the promise of restoring them so that they could live as an equal not as a slave. By the time each one was gone the door to the healing room had opened. 

Inside was a large room with an oyster like symbol on the floor. No book on gem culture or a first hand tale could help figure out how to use this… machine? Is that what X is supposed to call it? Regardless, he places the pearl in the oyster. As he steps out of the shape, two shell shaped half’s slam together as the healing process begins. Before X even has a chance to ask he hears the voice again. 

“The pearl is done.” The computer says as the shell opens up. 

Smoke crawls out of the sides, filling up the room. Coughing and waving his hand, Xisuma tries to make out the shape of the pearl. Even with his helmet on his head, the smoke is too thick to see anything in. After a few more seconds of coughing, the pearl is more than visible to X. His head was bowed as if greeting a diamond. 

“My Emerald. How may I be of service?” The pearl says as he lifts his head. He looks to be calmer now that he’s healed up. X sees that there was a strange kind of shine to the pearl as if he was glowing, cleaned up as good as new. 

“Please, I’ve told you to just call me Xisuma.” X says as the pearl walks out of the oyster. Each step looks like Pearl is ready to dance as soon as the command is uttered, as if he was told to always be alert for the order. 

“X…eye…suma…” The pearl repeats back to X. It wasn’t his how he would say his name but it was better than being called by his gem type like a title. “My diamond called me Grian. You can call me anything you like though if you don’t like my name.” 

X didn’t know what to say on that topic but even if he did, the chances of the conversation being very one sided are pretty high. Instead X tells the pearl to follow him which the pearl takes as an order. 

“You know that you don’t have to do things because you’ve been told.” X says once they arrive at the warp pad. A curious look washes over Grian’s face as he turns to the emerald. 

“What do you mean?” The pearl tilts his head, the red curls falling to the side. He clearly didn’t understand what X was saying as well as why he was telling a pearl this. There was a gap between them that needed to be bridged in ideology. Both of them need to meet in the halfway point to be able to see it from the others eyes. 

X was born with free will, a gift he takes for granted. Grian was created to obey his diamonds commands while sharing similar traits in personality. The pearl seemed to be shy despite all of the stories of the pearls belonging to Red Diamond being as ruthless as said diamond. The calmness in his actions contrasts the perception the stories gave X. It was like he was a different person when his diamond was not around. However all of that was manufactured while X developed his personality. There was the illusion that gems have a choice and this is what they choose to do but the only ones that are truly free are the hybrids and those who are brave enough or capable of fighting back. 

“You don’t have to do anything I tell you to because I have an emerald gem. When we get back to Earth, I can have someone show you how to have fun or have the humans talk to you about their culture and how they enjoy free will.” X says as he steps onto the warp pad. His hatred once again bubbling over for this retched thing. 

Without another word from the pearl, he follows suit by stepping onto the warp. X begins to think he has insulted Grian somehow but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. They slip into a semi uncomfortable silence, at least for X. A sigh from Xisuma is all Grian hears before the warp is activated. 

Once they arrive at the Hermit’s base, they are greeted by the site of a few Hermits sitting at the table with something that the pearl has never seen before. Forgetting all about X, Grian walks up to the table and looks at the unused cutlery. Ignoring the questioning looks from the others as he picks up a spoon and looks at it. The full surface reflected some of the pearl’s features in a way that seems to captivate him. 

“My em- X-eye-suma, what is this?” Grian turns to face X as he holds up the spoon. A few of the humans at the table laugh at the absurdity until Doc silences them with a glare when he walks into the room. 

“We call that a spoon. You use it to eat food.” With that X moves into the kitchen area, letting his helmet dissipate into a puff of smoke. Putting his gloves onto the granite kitchen island near to the stove. “I can make you some to try if you want. Remember you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Grian nods as X gets to work. Walking over to the breakfast bar, opposite X, Grian stands between two stools, not knowing whether he is allowed to sit or not. 

Watching intently as the emerald cracks an egg on the side of a bowl and opened to get out a yellow blob inside a clear goo. None of what X was doing made any sense to Grian but he still watched with interest. A white powder in a paper bag with the words ‘plain flour’ on the side is taken out of a storage area of sorts. It was interesting for Grian to see someone make pancakes with out knowing what the ingredients are. He probably had no idea the difference between a cat and a knife but he seems to be taking all of whatever this was well. 

One of the other people in the room moves to sit next to Grian, who was still standing. Grian looks over to the person and sees a… human? He had long brown hair ties back into a ponytail, sunglasses with black frames resting on the bridge of his nose and a stubble around his mouth, which are pressed into a kind smile. The red shirt and dark jeans held up by suspenders made the man look of a human. However the very obvious gem on his forearm just didn’t make Grian think this was a human. Was this one the hybrids he had been told about from his diamond?

“Hey, the name’s Ren Diggity Dog.” Ren says as he holds his hand out. Grian tilts his head in confusion at the hand. It takes him a few seconds to before he registers it as a greeting.

“My name is Grian. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He says as he bows his head. The pearl’s voice was quiet but the nervous tone of voice made the emotion he felt very apparent to Ren. 

“So… why would a pearl join the rebellion? I thought you were made to be loyal to your diamond.” Ren says curiously. He didn’t mean anything by it but he could feel the tension rise in the room as the Hermits looked at Ren. They had just been discussing what to do with Grian but the one thing the story Doc told them never mentions was why the pearl was on the beach with a garnet. All of the hermits assumed that was because of the war. 

However, the pearl thought for a moment at Ren’s question. Grian wasn’t there to fight nor to aid homeworld in their rampage, he was there because Taurtis wanted to go to Earth. Being a fusion was not safe in Red Diamond’s colony and Grian was willing to give his life to deliver Taurtis safely to the Hermits. 

“I had been travelling with Taurtis, to keep him safe from The Diamonds. Being a fusion wasn’t easy for him. My diamond ordered me to shatter him. I almost did but I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him.” Grian looks into his intertwined hands. Ren puts his hand on Grian’s back to comfort him, which the pearl accepts. 

“It’s okay,” Ren’s voice was calming and soft, “Take as much time as you need.” 

A puzzled look washed over Grian’s face as he turns to Ren. This was new to him, he has never experienced kindness from anyone but Taurtis. Taking a deep breath, Grian turns back to look at his hands. They start shaking more as he tightens his grip. 

“Let me start from the beginning.”


	3. A pancake to keep the past away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grian tells the hermits how he got to Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is short. I had writers block and this was all I could come up with. I’m again very sorry.

“It started when I was taken to Red diamond’s courtyard. There I met Taurtis, a Garnet fusion.”

_ The diamond steps off of the platform to walk down the stairs. Grian hasn’t seen this asteroid before but the grand design cared into the rocks means that it was definitely meant for his diamond to relax in. Once Red was half way down the stairs, Grian follows behind his diamond. For being a new pearl, Red found this one to be a fast learner… unlike the others.  _

_ A fountain sits in the centre of the asteroid with a gleaming statue of Red diamond reaching out for the planets. On the bottom wall of the fountain there were smaller statues that say on the wall in different poses but all of them had their feet in water. The smaller statues had minimal detail on them but Grian could make out who they were: the pearls that came before him. Each one looks the same as him but there were still differences. Swallowing his fear, Grian continues to walk and hopes that he won’t become just a statue to his diamond.  _

_ “Grian,” Red diamond says as he turns to face Grian, looking down at him both metaphorically and physically. “I would like you meet my best and only friend, Taurtis.” Just as Red says his name, the Garnet steps out from behind the fountain.  _

_ The dark purple skin of the Garnet contrasts the lilac purple, almost white, hair colour he has. He has two discs either side of his head, like ears for a human but they had a purple visor connecting them. The discs have a red and blue checkered design with a black circle around it. He wore a violet shirt with diamond patterns at the end of his short sleeves and shorts that had suspenders on them with black boots.  _

_ Grian immediately feels some sort of connection with Taurtis without even speaking to him. He was drawn to the friendly face Taurtis gave him and that was enough to win Grian’s trust… somehow. Maybe it was because they both serve Red diamond directly, unlike other gems who are given orders by one of the diamond’s trusted blood emeralds. Or maybe it was something more, like a spiritual understanding.  _

_ Whatever it was, Grian wanted to protect this bond and Taurtis as much as he could.  _

“I began to talk to Taurtis more and more. Sometimes I’d visit without telling Red diamond, he would never ask where I had been which I am grateful for.” Grian says to Ren, who was now facing Grian to listen even more so than he already was. “I thought that we would stay this way for an eternity, us playing games as equals… but all good things must come to an end.”

_ “I want you to shatter Taurtis. I’ve grown bored of him and have decided to replace him.” Red Diamond says after Grian had shown him progress reports for the new planet in Red diamond’s growing empire.  _

_ It was so out of the blue that Grian almost couldn’t believe what he heard. Before Grian could say anything, an aquamarine walks in with a new garnet behind him. Grian had to kill his only friend. Why? Because his Diamond commands it so? This wasn’t fair to Taurtis. It’s not his fault that Red diamond is deciding his fate without said garnet being present.  _

_ Something begins to bubble inside of Grian. This was something powerful about this feeling, maybe because it wasn’t an artificially made one. As the garnet bows to the diamond, Grian felt his hands curls into fists behind his back. The emotion wasn’t because his personality was supposed to fit with his diamond’s as that would have been in response to his diamond feeling the same, this was his own emotion and despite how freeing it felt, Grian only focused on his anger.  _

“I was so angry that I needed to save Taurtis, even if it meant I’d be shattered. He deserved to live. That’s way I helped him escape.” Grian looks at Ren, a smile on his face but it drops. “The ship we… commandeered was shot down and you know the rest.” 

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, no one knew what to say. Without a word, X sets a stack of pancakes in front of Grian once he finishes talking. The pearl looks down at the stack of pancakes. Each one of them looks as tasty as the others despite being irregular shapes. 

“Here, let me show you how to eat properly.” X says as he sets down a plate the opposite side of Grian.


End file.
